Lionel trains entertained kids of all ages for generations. These majestic model train sets even inspired a few people into engineering from train operators to mechanical and electrical engineers. While simple to operate, these trains also have seemingly questionable designs such as tracks with a third rail despite real trains requiring only two.
Model train sets such as Lionel use three-rail tracks for a variety of reasons, but most of them fall under user safety. Since the rails are the train’s power cable, the primary concern is electrical shorts frying the electronics or causing fires. As such, the third rail keeps the live power separated from the ground.
This precaution is necessary because of how Lionel trains work. By reading further, you will learn about the inner workings of Lionel trains so you can understand and better troubleshoot them. You will also learn how other model trainsets deal with the same problem.
The Reasons Lionel Trains Use 3-Rail Tracks
Lionel model trains offer hours of entertainment and education, providing the same experience as real trains but in a smaller, more manageable form. However, they have a few oddities that deviate from the real world. The third rail is one of them.
The three-track design comes from the early days of model trains. It is an unrealistic feature and a legitimate drawback for something designed to mimic the real world, but it is a required feature for any O gauge trainset. That includes Lionel Trains, though they did not start that way.
When Lionel began making model trains in 1900, there was no real standard for model trains, except for the 5-rail Marklin standard from 1891. At the time, every manufacturer had its track design, including both two and three-rail formats. Lionel was in the 2-rail camp until they released the first true, 3-rail “Standard Gauge” trains in 1906.
Advantages of Using 3-Rail Tracks
All model trainsets are simple electrical circuits. A transformer in the electrical box sends the hot signal down the h